Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The British Government's presence at this meeting on Thursday provides an opportunity for the Taoiseach to secure greater clarity from the British Prime Minister about her interpretation of and her response to elements of last week's communique. The Government has made it clear that it believes the communique commits the British state to maintain a regulatory alignment between the North and the South on all matters, even in the event of no deal. EU ministers are reported to have agreed that Friday's communique will be David Davis proofed and they warn that Brexit discussions could be suspended. Does the Taoiseach agree with that?

I am also very concerned with the Taoiseach's response to me yesterday. After refusing to answer this question on a number of occasions in the last weeks yesterday he accepted that citizens in the North will not have access to the European Court of Justice when the British Government removes the jurisdiction of that court from the North after eight years. This would be a direct breach of the Good Friday Agreement. If the Taoiseach has signed up to this then it has dire consequences around the issue of rights. The issue of rights is at the core of the difficulties in the Assembly at this time. I shall return to this issue later when we have a better chance to deal with the pre-Council statements.

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